Vertically adjustable bed frame



Tune 22, 1954 TALLMAN 2,681,454

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE BED FRAME Filed Jan. 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l km W John Ta/lman I INVENTOR.

June 22 1954 J, T L 2,681,454

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE BED FRAME Filed Jan. 15, 1 95] 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIII'I'III as, x

John Tal/man INVENTOR.

BY Wavy 8% Patented June 22, 1954 UNITED. STAT'ESrz FATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in beds. 7

An object of the invention isto provide ina bed, whether it is a hospital bed or a bed to be i used otherwise, a means whereby the spring and mattress support may be lifted or lowered and held in the lifted orlowered positions so that in moving a patient from a bed to a table or from a table to a bed, it will be unnecessary for the persons handling the-patient to lift or lower the patient an appreciable-amount.

Another object of this invention is to provide a. bed frame for a bed mattress and spring support, which frame is capable of raising and lowering by meansof extensible legs, which legs are extended by a screw in each extensible leg operated by-a single motor andpperatedat the same rate of speed and extentso that no unevenness. occurs.

Ancillary objects and features of 1 importance will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated form of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspectiveview'of'the invention; Figure 2 is an elevational fviewiofia structure similar to that of Figure 1 but; showing it.used;

in connection with a standard :bed spring support of the adjustable type;

Figure 3 is a top view of theimproved bed; a

Figure 4 is a vertical sectionalcview showing the leg construction and a .partof the --means for extending the leg; and,

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing a part ofthe motor operating assembly for the chain which is arranged to actuate each of the legs.

As noted in Figure 1 there is a Hollywood bed Ii] which has a rectangular spring support frame 12. The frame i 2 consists of four inwardly opening angles welded or otherwise fixed together at their corners. The frame I2 is supported on an inwardly opening, rectangular channel frame 13 having legs 14, I 6,. l8 and 2E! at the corners thereof. There is a platform 22 fixed to one of the lower members of one of the channels and a motor 24 is disposed thereon. The channel frame It, platform 22, motor 24 and legs [4, I6, I 8 and comprise the bed frame or bedstead upon which the spring support frame l2 rests. This motor has a means of extending the legs operatively connected therewith so that the upper part of the bed frame may be raised and lowered in accordance with the prerogative of the user, the normal environment for such a bed being a hospital, a house, apartment or the like.

In Figure 2 I have illustrated a standard spring and mattress support of the adjustable type which is provided with pairs of pins it and 32 at each corner which are adapted to fit in keyhole or other types of slots 33 and 34- which are formed in the brackets 35, 36,. 31 and 38. These brackets are provided with" bases fastened to the corners of the frame [2 in order to provide a means of holding the pins at the corners of the support 3% thereby releasably mounting the When found desirable support an on the bed It. a rigid spring frame 'may be disposed directly upon the uppersurface of the frame i2 toaccommodate a mattress. It is preferable that each bracket have a base and two side' wallsponnected together at right angles and to the base. The slots 33 and 34 are formed in one. sidewall of each bracket.

Attention is now invited 'to Figures 4 and 5. In Figure 4 there is a typical leg 18 which is identical in construction to any of the other-legs shown in Figure 1, each leg being multi sided in cross section. The leg I8 consists ofan upper section 46 and a lower section is. These sections are extensibly connected together; preferably by having the lower leg section d8 smaller in cross section than the upper leg section 46 and the lower leg section 8 fitted into the bore 59 of the upper leg section 46.

There is a threaded opening 52' in the upper end wall 553 of the lower leg section lS toaccommodate the screw 56, this screw forming a part of the means of extending and retracting the leg sections and also of locking them in the selected extended orretracted positions.

The" upper end of the leg section 48 is fixed to a mounting plate -58 which is connected to the lower part of one of the channels of frame 13. The platform 22 (Figure 5) accommodating the motor 24 is disposed slightly under the frame l2, and a spindle S2 is mounted vertically at one end in a bearing 64, carried by one of the channels of frame 13 and located in a bearing at the other end. A pinion 66 is fixed to the spindle 62 and is enmeshed with the worm 68, this worm being fixed to the shaft 69 of the motor 24.

There is a drive sprocket 'i'll fixed to the spindle $2 and a chain 12 extends therearound, being enmeshed with some of the teeth thereof. This chain also extends around a sprocket IE5 which is fixed to the upper end of the screw 56 whereby upon actuation of the motor 2 the screw 56 and hence, each screw in each leg is rotated inasmuch as each leg is provided with a similar screw with a sprocket around which the chain 12 extends. Since the screws are fixed to the lower leg section of each leg by the threaded connection in the end wall 53, the lower leg section is extended or retracted depending upon the direction of rotation of the screws of the bed legs.

In order to hold the screws assembled properly, there is a thrust bearing 50 pinned or otherwise rigidly fixed to the screw near its upper end and lying below the plate 58. Another thrust bearin 82 is disposed above the lower flange of the chan nel through which the screw 56 passes and is concentrically arranged with the screw 56.

In operation the motor 25 is actuated by a con veniently located switch thereby causing the sprocket 10 to rotate. This rotation is imparted to the chain 72 whereby each of the screws in each of the legs is operated. Operation of the screws causes the legs to be extended or retracted. Hence, the mattress and spring disposed directly on the frame it or upon the frame 3i! which is carried by the brackets 35, 36, 3'5 and 33 is raised or lowered in accordance with the direction of rotation of the motor shaft 99, the motor of which is of a standard reversible type.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A bed comprising a rectangular shaped inwardly opening channel frame, extensible legs secured to the corners of said frame, said legs each having an upper section fixedly secured to said frame and a lower section slidingly telescoped in said upper section, a screw extending axially within each leg and each screw having its lower end threadedly engaging a lower section, the upper end of each screw being rotatably secured to and within said channel frame, a sprocket fixedly secured to the upper end of each screw, an endless chain surrounded by said channel frame, said chain being entrained around each sprocket, and means carried by said frame to actuate said chain.

2. For use with a spring and mattress support structure, a bedstead for raising and lowering the support structure with respect to a supporting base, said bedstead comprising a frame having a plurality of legs thereon, each leg including an upper section and a lower section extensibly connected therewith, a screw located in each leg, each screw being threaded in a lower section and rotatably secured to an upper section, means for operating the screw of each leg simultaneously to thereby extend said legs, said last mentioned means comprising a sprocket attached to each screw, a chain entrained around each of said sprockets, and means for actuating said chain to thereby rotate said screw, said frame being comprised of inwardly opening channel members, said chain being disposed within said channel members.

3. For use with a bed having a spring and mattress support structure, a bedstead for raising and lowering said support structure with respect to a supporting base, said bedstead comprising a rectangular frame having legs at the corners thereof, each leg including an upper section and a lower section extensibly connected therewith, a screw located in said sections and threaded in said lower section, means for operating the screw of each leg simultaneously to thereby extend said legs, said last mentioned means comprising a sprocket attached to each screw, a chain entrained around each of said sprockets, and means for actuating said chain to thereby rotate said screws, said last mentioned means comprising a reversible motor to actuate said chain selectively in opposite directions, and a platform carried by said attachment frame supporting said motor, said frame being comprised of inwardly opening channel members, said chain being disposed within said channel members.

i. In combination with a bed having a spring and mattress support structure, a bedstead for raising and lowering said support structure, said bedstead comprising an inwardly opening chan nel frame secured to and beneath said support structure, a plurality of legs depending from said channel frame, each leg including an upper section and a lower section telescopingly connected therewith, a screw located in said sections and having its lower end threaded in said lower section, the upper end of said screw extending into said channel frame, a sprocket fixedly mounted on the upper end of each screw, a chain entrained around each of said sprockets and being disposed within said channel frame, and means actuating said chain to extend said telescopingly connected legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 919,559 Duff Apr. 27, 1909 1,054,416 Hudry Feb, 25, 1913 2,234,483 Sutton Mar. 11, 1941 2,303,433 Caldwell et al Dec. 1, 1942 2,522,759 Lindquist Sept. 19, 1950 2,547,827 Logan Apr. 3, 1951 2,592,166 McLean et a1. Apr. 8, 1952 

